The Security Watch Africa Initiative (SWAI) has called for more intelligence sharing and synergy among sub-regional bodies address evolving threats.
This is contained in a communique on Sunday by Mr Patrick Agambu and Sani Usman, the SWAI President and Chief Rapporteur in Abuja.
The communique was issued at the end of the 17th Edition of the SWAI Annual Conference and Award Ceremony on Friday in Banjul, the Gambia.
The conference which held between Nov. 9 and Nov. 11 had the theme “Post-COVID-19: Sustaining Security in Africa”.
It said that such actions would promote security and the much needed development on the continent.
It also urged African countries to collaborate more and look inward for solutions to address African security challenges, adding that African leaders should adopt an all-of-society approach.
This should involve engaging the youths to address evolving security challenges.
”The need for intelligence sharing and synergy amongst sub-regional bodies on the continent, as well as a periodic assembly to assess the African security environment.
”There is a need for a unified, enabling legal framework, a comprehensive, all-encompassing strategy, as well as a strengthened judicial system, to address security challenges across Africa.
”There is a need for regular meetings of the security councils and commissions of sub-regional bodies such as SADC and ECOWAS, among others.
”African countries should collaborate more and look inward for solutions to address African security challenges,” the communique read.
The SWAI was established in 1997 with the primary objectives of monitoring, collecting, analyzing, and broadcasting security issues on the African continent, amongst others, for public awareness and policy making.
It is to further encourage professionalism and intellectual engagements among African military and security forces, it holds annual conferences and award ceremonies in different parts of the world.
It also showcases the African military and security forces’ accomplishments and enhance friendship as well as military cooperation among member states.
The communique also suggested that: ”Maritime security, African Navies should strengthen their collaboration and synergy.
”African countries should come up with integrated, all-encompassing maritime strategies that are in line with continental and regional security architectures.”
It added that African countries should strengthen their research and development efforts through training and adequate funding.
It said that the Africa Union should operationalise the collective security mechanism, particularly the African Standby Force, to address insecurity in Africa.
”There is a need to encourage the media to consider national and victim security in their reportage,” it said.
Those that received awards at the ceremony include Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Auwal Gambo and retired Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, former Chief of Army Staff.
(NAN)
